Eternal Night
by BeyondTheBlue
Summary: Edward abandoned Bella in New Moon. Bella is heartbroken, but the few remains of her life are almost shattered when she is attacked by the Volturi. She is rescued by a stranger, and wakes in hospital to find that the Cullens are back. What is going on?
1. Chapter 1:Reliving

_Hello everyone! Thank you for clicking on my story. This is my first fanfiction so I apologise if it isn't very good. Please reveiw! I'd love to know what you think and how I could improve my story_**.  
**_Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. _

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE**

"_I'm sorry Bella…"_

"_I'm sorry Bella, but I don't love you any more"_

"_I don't want you Bella…"_

"…_Goodbye Bella"_

I gasped for air. Blood rushed to my head as I sat bolt upright - but it didn't make any difference; my head had been spinning since my nightmare started. I ran a shaking hand through my hair. It was damp with sweat. I had a dream like this every night, but they never failed to terrify me. I clutched my duvet and wrapped it round me like a blanket. It was only two in the morning, so I couldn't get up yet. I hummed Edward's lullaby to myself – but then decided against it. It didn't sound right without Edward's soft, smooth voice singing it. I was a stranger to it. I stopped and sighed. I weighed up my options of what to do now. I didn't want to close my eyes, as it would result in another nightmare. But my other option was just as worse; sit alone for five hours reliving the memories of being with Edward, just to find that when I looked out my frosty window, he wouldn't be standing there, smiling crookedly, next to his silver Volvo. I closed my eyes once again, and prepared myself to slip into my personal hell on earth. Again, as if it was expecting me, it came all too soon.

"_Edward… please help me… wait!"_

"…"

I woke again, unable to breath. My vision was blurred, my heartbeat, erratic. Cold, strong and vaguely familiar arms were tightly coiled around my neck, squeezing harder and harder. I could feel the oxygen trying to force its way into my brain, but it was failing. I became lightheaded. Panic flooded through my body, but as my sight eventually cleared I realised it was only a figure of my imagination, an aftershock, if you wish, of my nightmare. My nightmare… Edward was walking away slowly, but with every gentle step he took, a piece of me died and withered away. I desperately pleaded for him to stop. His ears twitched at the agony in my voice, but when he turned around to face me. His eyes were deep black and he stared at me the way you would stare at a stranger. There was no emotion on his face, no look of worry, or concern. He glanced at me for only a few seconds, but that cold look of heartlessness was engraved into my mind.

I wasn't cold, in fact I was sweating, but a shiver swept through my spine. I took a momentary glimpse at the alarm clock on my bedside table. I didn't need the alarm anymore; my nightmares usually woke me up. 8:00am. It took a while for the random numbers to arrange themselves in my head and make any sense. It seemed like a reasonable time to get up. I swung my legs over the side of my bed and slowly began walking to the bathroom. I didn't need to worry about waking Charlie. He'd missed a baseball match on TV yesterday while fishing, but it was repeated this morning, I could vaguely hear the TV blare downstairs. I wasn't really surprised it didn't wake me. When I had been captured by a nightmare, there was no hero to come and rescue and wake me. The hero was also the bad guy.

Fortunately, I had reached bathroom door, which meant I had something to distract myself away from Edward. The warm water from seemed to sooth my broken heart. It twirled through my hair and down my back. As it ran over my face, it almost washed away all the disturbing events of my past, and threw them down the drain. I remained in the shower as long as I could, but it the feeling of carelessness didn't last long as I had expected, as the water suddenly ran cold.

'Like most good things in life,' I thought to myself as I wrapped a towel round me. 'They always have to end'.

I didn't really care about my clothes. I grabbed a long sleeved dark red shirt and a dark blue pair of jeans out of my wardrobe. I shoved some flat soled boots onto my feet. There was no way I was going to try and walk in heels, especially not without Edward to catch me when I inevitably fell… Edward… My thoughts were like a boomerang, whenever I manage to distract myself away from Edward, somehow they always seemed to spring back.

I pondered this some more as I poured some cereal; in fact I was so deep concentrating on my disturbing past I almost overflowed the bowl. I lifted the box suddenly, spraying Honey Loops everywhere. I heard a suppressed snigger from the sofa. Did Charlie have eyes out on the back of his head or what? After I had managed to pick them all up, I grabbed my warm, winter coat and keys to my old Chevy truck. I checked he clock on the dashboard before I ignited the engine. I still had half an hour before school, so I decided to take the long route, and if I was still early, I'd read a few more chapters of whatever book I'd thrown in my bag. I'd probably read it before anyway. Even though it was under my control, the thunderous roaring of the engine made me jump. When my heartbeat returned to normal, I began to drive. Many things scared me nowadays; the slamming of doors, almost inaudible whispers and the dark. It seemed quite childish, but without Edward to protect me, I realised how sinister the dark really was. The dark was a disguise and cover of assistant for all the ominous people of the world. With feeble, human eyes the darkness was a mask, the unknown, who knows what would come out of the darkness - although some feelings of utter pain are more emotional. I was a first grade witness of that. But even so, those feelings are worsened by the lonely, suffocating night.

I shuddered in fright. Edward had completely changed my perspective on the world. I remember when I used to wince when I even heard something that sounded like the word "Edward", but I then realised that I hurt him more than he hurt me. I wasn't good enough for him. He should be the one flinching at _my_ name. Every time think his name my mind whispers "I am so sorry"

As I turned down a bumpy forest lane, I detected something odd about the truck's engine. I ought to have noticed it before, but my mind was preoccupied with Edward and my fears. The truck was still roaring as usual, but this time it sounded strained, and almost in pain. The tyres sounded off key as well. As my head hit the roof, a consequence from driving over a large stone, I decided it was simply the rough track and continued my journey. But as I ventured into the most isolated part of the forest, I heard a deafening and bizarre noise exploding out my engine. The truck was still moving so I decided to pull over, like any sane person would. But my truck had other ideas. I lost count of how many times I jumped on the break pedal, but for some mysterious reason the truck didn't stop. I looked up from angrily glaring at the breaks a little too late. The front windscreen rammed into a large tree. The glass shattered and flew in every possible direction. My whole body lurched forward and my head forcefully collided with the dashboard.

The metal in the car creaked and shuddered. I felt warm, fresh blood trickle down my head and run through my hair, in a much less pleasant formation than in the shower. The earth began to spin much too fast than it should and I couldn't keep up with it. I started hyperventilating. I reached for my phone, lying on the floor, with a trembling hand. But I discovered something much more gruesome than my phone being demolished in the crash – although that was going to cause a problem since I was alone, injured and stranded in the most isolated part of the forest. My leg was trapped between the remains of the chair and the space beneath where the radio should be. I couldn't tell how bad the injury was, as it was saturated with blood. I attempted to move it. A blast of pain flared up my leg and an agonizing scream erupted from my lips. I thought I was going to pass out. I almost wanted to, if it would be an escape from the pain.

It was obvious I couldn't walk home or call for help, so I was depending on people to discover me. I almost stopped breathing when I realised that people wouldn't come looking for me for a while; they'd only become worried when I didn't show up for school. When they eventually did start searching, they wouldn't have expected me to take this route to school. But who was "them"? Charlie, without a doubt, Billy, my new best friend Jacob, Mike, Angela, the list grew longer, so there were obviously enough people to find me, but would they find me… alive?


	2. Chapter 2: Inhuman

**CHAPTER TWO**

I couldn't believe it had only been 15 minutes. It grew harder to breath and I still felt faint. I tried counting up to 50 to calm my thoughts, but the numbers jumbled up in my head. I thumped the steering wheel in frustration, and then flinched when the sound of the horn hit my ears. That's when it came to me. I'd tried shouting for help, but it was obvious nobody could here my feeble pleas. The car horn, however, was much louder. I discovered this while driving with Alice. We were stuck in a traffic jam and Alice got a little angry… I giggled at the memories. But the humour was then replaced with distress. How could I think of the Cullen's at a time like this! I gathered my thought before using all my might to punch the steering wheel. It hurt. A sprained wrist was another collection to my injuries. I whacked the steering wheel some more and shouted help while resting my hand. I wanted somebody to have been distracted by the horn, so came to investigate. My voice began to hurt, but I didn't care. I could either die, or die trying.

"HELP" My coarse voice exclaimed out the shattered window. "HELP! PLEASE SOMEONE!"

I gasped in as much air as I possibly could and was about to shout again, when a low chuckling found my ears. The soft wind died down, almost as if it ran away in fear. The friendly whispering of the forest was suddenly silent and was replaced by unexpected, harsh rain that lashed against my skin.

There was no more noise expect my forced, erratic breathing. That was odd. I was sure I heard something. I was about to continue shouting when I heard the chucking again. It was louder, closer. I was oddly scared. I was going to die of loss of blood or something anyway. But still, the voice was creepily eerie. An unfamiliar breath skimmed my shoulder, cold and slow. I whipped my head round, painfully. But there was nothing except a bloodstained headrest behind me. I slowly turned my head back round, to find a hooded figure stood next to tree that my truck had plastered.

A white hand gracefully pulled down the charcoal hood and revealed a powder white face. Bold red eyes almost jumped out of their pale frame. The vampire was beautiful, but in a different way than the Cullens. This vampire was radiating danger, but it was impossible to look away from his perfect face. His thin, pale lips lifted into a smirk as my eyes widened in fear and my hands trembled in shock.

"Good morning Isabella" A smooth, sleek voice slid out of his lips. "Although looking at you, it may not be such a good morning after all"

I wanted to ask him who he was, but I couldn't find the words. Even if I could I didn't think I had the strength to say them.

"How rude, I haven't introduced myself properly! I am Aro and I believe you have heard of the Volturi, have you not?"

"N-Not so much" I negated. I couldn't prevent the stutter leaking into my words.

"Well in that case I shall have to explain it to you!"

A glimmer of hope shimmered through me, but it was fake, transitory. I still had time. He wasn't going to kill me. Yet.

"I'm sure you have guessed that I am a vampire. My brothers and I make up the rulers of Vampires. Royalty, if you wish. There is more, the wives and guards, but we are the middle pieces. We are the scaffolding for the vampire world. We take control of any situation that will endanger our secret existence."

He paused before continuing, this time his voice was sinister. All the happiness in the world could be crushed by this voice. But it was still courteous.

"And it would be foolish of me not to mention that we drink human blood"

He said the last word slowly, savouring the look of pain and fright that inevitably appeared in my eyes. I blinked, but when I opened my eyes he was standing next to me. He slid his bony through the gap where the window should be. I wanted to gasp as he wrapped his icicle-like fingers around my neck, but he was clutching my neck too tightly for me to breath.

He gently twitched, but my whole body was thrown the window and lying next to him. I heard a sickening tear as my leg was pulled free but I tried not to think about it.

"It was my jeans" I told myself. "It was my jeans!" I repeated in my mind but it was impossible to escape the unbearable amount pain in my leg that had augmented. I kept my eyes fastened to Aro. If I even glanced at my leg, the pain would become real and undoubtedly double in size.

"Ah! It seems my brothers have come to join me! How delightful!" He sneered, but somehow politely.

He documented this long before I could hear footsteps or even vaguely see shadows, but that was because of his inhumanly possible hearing and sight. That's what he was. Inhuman. What he was doing now was unquestionably proof of that. But before long, two clouds of thick black dust blew towards us from the trees.

"Greetings Aro!" A male, tenor voice echoed through the trees.

I flinched at the sudden noise. A few seconds ago, the figures were stood by the trees. Now, they were casually, yet formally stood next to Aro.

"Greetings brothers" Aro replied, a joyous grin plastered on his face. I couldn't believe he was actually _enjoying_ this. That word skimmed across my mind once more. _Inhuman. _

The heavy rain droplets fiercely collided with my numerous cuts, making them sting and throb. Pain rippled through me, resulting in me gasping, wheezing. It was quiet, almost inaudible against the torrential rain, but it was loud enough for the vampires to hear.

Aro was immediately stood on the blood soaked ground next to me.

"Caius, Marcus, meet my good friend Isabella Swan"

A had to force down some sick at that moment. How malicious and vindictive could somebody be? Finding happiness from weaker humans' unnecessary pain! Couldn't they just kill me and get it over with? No, because they were inhuman.

One inhuman took a smooth step towards me, his feet barely skimming the ground, smiling.

"How nice it is to finally meet you Isabella." He stared down at me. My broken body lay under his hostile smirk.

I jerked at the sudden sound of a new voice, transporting pain through every crevice of my body.

"Aro, Caius, let us finish this." The third figure wandered out of the shadows. He might as well have yawned, his voice was so bored.

"Please do not deprive us of our fun, Marcus brother" The second figure that must be Caius pleaded, but his tone was demanding. Marcus rolled his eyes and crossed his eyes.

I shifted my eyes back to Aro and Caius, but they were already staring at me, their eyes filled with bloodlust.

I threw my arms behind me and attempted to pull myself back. I only managed half a metre before me arms gave way beneath me. But my head couldn't reach the ground, instead it hit something worse. A pair of frosty hands clutched my shoulders, long fingers wrapped around my arms. Ten sharpened fingernails sliced into my collar bone. Caius lifted me up. I couldn't stand on my own. Even if my leg wasn't in an excruciating amount of pain, I was probably in too much shock to stay upright. I trembled in Caius' arms. Aro drifted towards me slowly, draggling out the pain. Caius whispered in my ear to pass the time.

"It's such a shame" he spoke delicately. "You're such a pretty little girl. I understand why Edward adored you so much"

My legs buckled beneath me at the sound of Edward. I would have collapsed but Caius was holding me so tight that I didn't move a muscle. It was physically impossible.

"But," he continued. "He left you. Alone. Vulnerable. I wonder if he left you so we could get to you. That way he didn't have to kill you himself."

The high walls I had built about myself crumbed. The life I had rebuilt collapsed in those few seconds. But before I knew it, Aro's nose was touching mine. This was it. This was the end.

"_I love you Edward. I forgive you!" _I thought.

I couldn't wait any longer. I closed my eyes and awaited my fate.


	3. Chapter 3: Questions

**CHAPTER THREE**

I flung my arms out and tried to push Aro away but with a sprained wrist and that fact that my opponent might as well have been a boulder, my attempts were futile. Aro sniggered at my feeble pleas. The more I pushed him away the closer he drifted towards me. I felt disorientated and dizzy but I couldn't give up. My face pointed to the ground, shielding my neck, but a cold fist wrapped itself around a lock of my saturated hair. Caius twitched his hand, pulling the back of my head against his chest, exposing my neck.

"Goodbye Bella" Are said in the same tone Edward did in my nightmares.

At least my thoughts were fixed upon Edward as I died.

"I'm sorry Edward" I thought, as a set of venomous teeth sunk into my neck.

I could feel the blood reluctantly flowing into his mouth, like rapids in a stormy river. His tongue licked away the excess blood that had leaked from the fresh wound. I should have closed my eyes, but my muscles were petrified in a combination of fear, pain and shock. I couldn't even scream.

The sound of Caius' sleek unnecessary breathing in my ear weakened, as did the nauseating sound of Aro slurping my blood. I recognized Caius' voice but the words he spoke were inaudible. Eventually, all sound faded except the failing, unstable beat of my heart.

_He caught me staring at him. I blushed and immediately turned my head back around to my tray of food resting on the cafeteria table. _

"…_That's Rosalie and Jasper Hale, and Alice and Emmett Cullen. The bronze haired boy is Edward Cullen"._

_I could feel his icy glare penetrating my bold stance. His fists tightened, the veins in his arms bulging_. _I passed the microscope to him, trying not to meet his eyes. He glanced at it for a smaller amount of time than me. _

"_Prophase" his velvet voice wafted in my ears. _

_His hand rested on my cheek, the skimmed down to my chin and lifted my head. It then continued past my neck, but he didn't flinch. It angered me that he had to be so self controlled around me. He let go and we lay in the beautiful meadow together._

_A pair of familiar eyes flickered past me, in every possible direction, a worryingly smug expression on his face. He had won the game. I had lost. My vision lost focus as an unnatural angel appeared at my side. I couldn't hear the words he spoke, but they were coated with agony. _

My eyelids ached, but I didn't realised they were closed until they flickered and a few grains of light strode into my pupils. I shut my eyes fiercely. After a few minutes, the little light was bearable for my weak eyes. Confusion swept through me like a bullet, as I became conscious I was lying on the dirt, mud swimming through my already brown locks. I was sure I had been standing. Unless I had fallen and not felt it, that made sense since I didn't think my body – or even my mind – could take more pain. I lay for a few minutes, content. My head was still focused on the images that speedily passed through it. Images of Edward. They were abruptly halted by an eerie voice.

"Aro, brother, stop"

The voice was like music in my ears, a savour trying to stop the enduring pain. But the melody of his voice turned sharp and minor, as the memories that had invaded my mind were swept away and replaced by the realisation of what was going on.

Aro elegantly stood up, his long cloak flowing behind him. A drop of blood was stained onto his cheek but with a whip of his tongue, it had vanished.

"Oh dear" Caius whispered.

"Oh dear" Aro repeated. "That poor girl, lying on the floor, her body half broken" His voice was thick with sarcasm.

"I wonder what will happen to her" Caius conversed with his brother, yet still focusing on me. "How much pain do you think she's in?"

Aro kicked my leg. I screamed.

"A lot" Aro simply replied.

The three figures (I'd almost forgotten Marcus) became a distant fog in the shadows. Their movements were so fast I almost missed the vanishing act. It seemed my death would be a little worse than I had anticipated. Today must have been the worst day of my life. Except that day when… when… I couldn't even think his name, abandoned me. The Volturi had not only caused physical pain. The mental shield I had created turned out to be faulty. Just like the rest of me. I lay broken on the ground shifting in and out of conscious. I hoped I would be unconscious for my death. The world became fuzzy, and it seemed I may get my wish. Typical of me, the only luck I get is in the ending of my life; although my real life ended when…_he_…left. It was only my numb remains that were ending. A few silent tears escaped from my eyes, making my sight even worse, until it eventually stopped working altogether. After the Volturi had left, the wind returned. It soothingly swept across my face, blowing away my tears. Maybe there was more to Mother Nature than I had thought. I was glad for it to come back. I treated it like it was a long lost friend. I almost wanted to ask the wind how and where it had been. I was loosing my mind – but it didn't matter. I was losing everything that had not already been lost.

Panic took over. The reassuring wind had vanished, and so had all other sounds. My head sped round in circles, and my breathing quickened. I aimlessly wondered how fast my heart must have been fluttering, but the numbers I had considered were much too large for my understanding.

I gasped in shock. I thought I felt a new presence pass close to me, but I shrugged it off. I was going insane. So insane, I hadn't noticed I was moving. I didn't know how, but the atmosphere around me was changing impossibly fast.

"I must be dead" I thought. There was no explanation how I could be alive.

My head began to whirl in panic, but whatever was carrying me seemed to feel my tension as I could feel myself gradually slowing. A sudden flush of safety took over. I didn't know where I was or, more importantly, if I was alive, but I was sure I wouldn't come to anymore harm.

It was impossible to resist the peaceful daydreams that were forcing their way into my head, and I was too tired to try.

I was so engrossed in my daydreams that I didn't notice a familiar atmosphere surround me. I was convinced I knew where it was but I couldn't put my finger on it. If I was conscious, I would have wanted to stop – but I wasn't. Bummer.

To my delightful surprise, the familiar atmosphere lingered. Had I stopped? Where was I? No ideas came to my head, but I didn't punish myself. I wasn't surprised I couldn't think, after what I'd just witnessed. I wanted to wake. I wanted to know where I was and what I was doing. But what if I never woke? I shuddered mentally.

"_Goodbye Bella" _

Random, painful thoughts flickered around me, capturing me. I wanted to scream. When would I be released from this hell?!

I don't know how much time had passed when a bright light shoved its fingers under my eyelids and threw them open. A sharp white light filled them. I squinted and put my hand over them.

"Finally, this painful death was complete" I thought to myself. But when my eyes had adapted to the light I saw something I wasn't expecting. Charlie was leaning over me. There were dark circles under his eyes and his hair was greasy and a chaotic mess. Opposite his was Renee, dried tears were stained onto her cheek. Jacobs's sombre look didn't suit his usually childish, bright face. He was uneasily shifting his wait from foot to foot, his eyes filled with worry. I wanted to smile and reassure everyone, but when the strange man, who was scribbling on his clipboard by the door, noticed I had woken came bustling over to me.

"Good evening Isabella" He smiled at me, speaking loud and clearly.

Evening? How long had I been out? The night was creeping over the hills, according to the window. The man continued talking even slower after studying my perplexed expression.

"Do you know where you are?"

I simply stared at him.

"You're at Forks Hospital…" The rest of his words trailed of. I needed time to digest what I had just heard. I was… alive? Was that good or bad? Living without Edward? I winced at the name. Would the Volturi com back after me when they realised I was still alive? My stomach curled at the thought of it - literally. The doctor must have noticed my green face as he shoved a bowl under me mouth just in time to catch my sick.


	4. Chapter 4: Bliss

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Renee was stroking my hair, a comforting yet strained smile upon her face.

"Hey mom" I whispered. My voice was hoarse and it hurt my throat.

"Oh darling" Renee soothed. "You're going to be ok. You're going to get better". It sounded like she was reassuring herself more than me.

My throat was still burning so I didn't reply. Instead I darted my eyes around the enclosed space around me. Four, spotless white walls loomed over me, making my feel faintly claustrophobic. On my right side, a small white table stood, with a little vase of flowers. On my other side hung a bag of thick blood, and I noticed my heart rate accelerate on the heart monitor when I saw it. Apparently so did everyone else as the sound of a new voice startled me.

"You're in Forks hospital, Isabella" A man in a white coat, who I know presumed doctor, explained. "You've suffered a broken leg and lost a lot of blood, but we've given you a few transfusions so don't worry. You're awake earlier than I'd expected which is a good sign"

I tried to smile in response. This man seemed very affable, but there was still something else gnawing away at my brain. Something I didn't particularly want to think about, but had to.

"What… How did I…"

Charlie seemed to understand what I wanted to know, so cut me off to spare my voice.

"Your car crashed Bella. Pretty bad too"

"But how… did I…" I stuttered between quickened breaths.

"Well, er, you were lying outside the hospital when we found you. You probably stumbled around for a while, which is why your leg is worse than a normal break" Charlie elucidated. There was a nervous look plastered on his face. He obviously didn't want to answer this question.

"I don't remember" I said blankly.

"That's good. Most trauma patients don't remember their accidents. You're healing very well so far" The doctor reassured.

I smiled at him. Renee was still stroking my hair. Hushing noises were escaping from her mouth.

"It's okay mom. I feel fine" I lied.

I flinched in surprised when Jacob, who had been standing at the end of my bed uneasily shifting his weight from foot to foot, ran out the room slamming the door behind me. Was it just me or did he seem taller, and more muscular. The door had been banged so hard, it swung back revealing the busy hospital outside.

I stared at Renee for some answers, but she seemed as perplexed as I was. It was Charlie who came up with a logical answer.

"I wonder what that was about. He seemed so anxious to see you when he heard about the accident. It probably hurt him to see you like this. He's been talking about you a lot lately".

I blinked in astonishment. But the feeling of my eyelids softly resting on my eyes was too good to ignore. I attempted to keep them open, but Renee, Charlie and the doctor saw through my feeble attempts.

"You need you sleep" Renée hushed. "You sleep and we'll go talk to Jacob. Don't you worry about him." Charlie nodded in agreement.

The doctor, whose name I still didn't know, followed them out of the door and closed it softly. My soft white pillow seemed to engulf me, and after all I had just witnessed, I found myself smiling as I succumbed to a peaceful sleep.

_* * *_

Several weeks later, I was feeling much better. Renee and Charlie spent a lot of their time at the hospital, surprisingly not arguing. I had repeatedly demanded for them to go home, but they frustratingly, continuously refused.

Mike, Angela and Jessica had visited me. Jessica's lips moved so fast, while explaining the latest gossip to me, I almost couldn't keep up. Mike asked me how I was, and joked a lot. He was still going out with Jessica, I think. I'm sure something about Mike slipped out of Jessica's mouth. Angela gave me a book, for which I was thankful. As well as I was feeling, hospital life was still monotonous.

The one thing that bothered me was Jacob, and the way he petulantly stormed out of the room. He still hadn't come back, and whenever I asked my parents about it the changed the topic of conversation hastily.

I had my head stuck into the book that Angela had given me, when Renee gently rapped on the door to my room.

"Come in!" I called, quietly yet cheerily.

Renee entered, followed by my doctor, whose name I had discovered was Dr Winston, and Charlie. Their faces looked pleased, so I assumed this could only be good news. I placed the book back onto the table beside me that was overflowing with cards and gifts.

"Well then Bella" Dr Winston said through smiling teeth. "We have some good news. You've been healing very well, and I believe that there is nothing more that the hospital can do, except provide physiotherapy".

Renée continued his speech.

"We've contacted the school and warned them of your condition. They couldn't be happier of getting you back Bells, and you won't have to do PE either".

I struggled to suppress a grin.

"You'll be quite weak, and you'll have to use crutches, but the best way for you to gain up your strength is to be in the real world".

"When can I leave?!" I squeaked.

"Just give us a few weeks to make sure that you're up to it" Dr Winston said. "But I doubt we'll have any problems.

"Thanks doc" I smiled. I was finally escaping the tedious white walls and stinging chlorine smell.

* * *

The next few weeks past irritatingly slow. I suffered a few tests, while Charlie moved the things he had brought into the hospital for me, back into the house. Knowing I was feeling better, Renee went home to Phil, who had sent his love. On more than one occasion, I had had tried to walk around the hospital in my crutches, but I had overestimated my strength as, in simple terms, it hurt like hell.

I had been sleeping restlessly, so when Charlie cam bursting through the door, I woke easily. He backed out the moment he saw I was sleeping.

"Oh, sorry Bells, I didn't know you were asleep". He apologised.

"No no" I almost shouted. "I can't wait to get out of here"

Charlie grinned as Dr Winston entered the room.

"Good morning Bella. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know you're leaving today. There's just some paperwork your father needs to fill in and then you're free to go!"

Dr Winston signalled Charlie to follow him and they left me alone. I stared out the window aimlessly. I had been doing that a lot recently, but I'd never really _looked_. Surprisingly, it was a clear day. Not bright but certainly not raining. The forest lay ahead and I wondered if the remains of my poor truck were there. I wondered if I should have a funeral…

The thoughts about my truck brought back with them memories of the day I crashed. I couldn't remember much, except the brakes in my truck not working, and ramming into a tree. I must have blanked out then.

I didn't think much of not remembering. Dr Winston had said it was normal. I shrugged it off, wincing from the unnecessary movement.

"Hey Bells" Charlie looked happier than I had ever seen him.

Dr Winston followed him in with a wheel chair. A nurse assisted him lift me into it.

"What about my crutches" I asked.

"This is just for getting you home in" he casually explained. "But if walking is too painful, you can always use it".

I thanked him for all his help as an ecstatic Charlie wheeled me out of the hospital.


	5. Chapter 5: Unwelcome

_I am so so so so sorry I haven't updated in WEEKS!_ I feel awful so I tried to updated as soon as I could. Please don't kill me!  
Constructive critism and reviews are always appreciated.  
Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight.

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE **

The familiar scent of my room somehow soothed my injuries. It was the comforting smell of books, and my perfume. Charlie must have cleaned it as I was away. I'd never seen it this way before.

"I had to keep myself occupied so I wouldn't worry about you" Charlie explained sheepishly. Was my face that easy to read?

"Thanks dad" I smiled at him.

"I think you should e-mail your friends, I'm sure they're all worried. I'll go and make dinner. Call me if you need anything" He patted me on the shoulder before leaving.

I opened my laptop to find a zillion e-mail message alerts fill my screen. I searched through them all, and politely replied to each one, thanking hem for there thoughtfulness - but there was one person who I noticed, hadn't sent a thing.

Jacob.

I continued my endless adventure through a mass of e-mails, trying to find his. I was so engrossed in my search; I didn't hear Charlie knock on my door. He slowly pushed the door open, holding a pair of crutches.

"Come on kiddo, you'll be the first to try my new recipe"

"I have only just been released out of hospital; do you want to put me back there so soon?" I asked him, smirking.

He sighed through I smiled and fetched me into the kitchen. I inhaled a shocked breath as I saw the room. Two plates of steaming Bolognese, accompanied by two glasses of red wine were waiting patiently on the table. The counters were completely clean, along with the floor, and the TV was, surprisingly, not shouting this seasons baseball results. It almost brought a tear to my eye.

"Dad" I shakily whispered. "You didn't have to do this!"

"I'm you dad" was his simple reply, followed by a shrug and a surge of red in his cheeks.

"Well come on then, lets not let it get cold" I said lightening the mood.

The rest of the evening was filled with laughter. Charlie had rented a cheesy comedy DVD, but we spent more time talking. He told me about a new girl he had met and I told him how I couldn't wait to get back to school and see my friends. As delightful as our conversation was, I noticed one topic never came up.

"What about Jacob" I added. The question was eating away and my insides, but I tried to slip it out casually. "I've not heard from him. How is he?"

Charlie's expression immediately shifted. He cleared his throat, suspiciously.

"Erm, well… he- he's ok" Charlie turned back to look at the TV. I didn't.

"Okay, good" I paused for a minute. "How is he_ really_?"

Charlie sighed and dropped his head.

"Billy's worried sick. He won't come out of his room."

"Oh" I said stupidly.

I turned back to face the TV. That was enough information, and I didn't want to throw depressing thoughts into our pleasant family evening.

Charlie forced a laugh at the awful joke from the film and I leant my head against him. He raised an arm and wrapped it around me, like I was a child.

"I love you Bells" Charlie's voice was almost inaudible.

"I love you too Dad" I whispered back. And I meant it. I meant it with all my heart.

* * *

My shoulders were vibrating. Soft, deep murmurs wafted in the air, but I was unable to see who was making them. I stretched my eyelids and let them get used to the overpowering light. Once my vision had been restored, I noticed Charlie leaning over me.

"Morning Bella. Do you feel like going to school today? Don't worry, it's fine if you don't. I just wondered because last night you said…" He voice faded as he saw the grin on my face.

I sat up, realising I had been sleeping on the sofa from last night. Charlie had covered me with my duvet from upstairs, of which I was grateful.

"You go and get ready while I'll ring your school. I'll drop you off outside. He smiled.

Showering was tricky – and painful, so instead I ran a small bath. Clambering in and out of the tub was challenging, with the colossal cast attached to my leg. But with some assistance from my faithful crutches, I managed to make my way to my bedroom.

I pulled open my closet, when a terrible thought dawned on me. What was I supposed to wear?! I desperately routed through a pile of clothes, already knowing I would have to wear a SKIRT. Finally, I pulled out a fairly decent skirt, not to mention, my only skirt. It was knee length and beige. Following from my unspeakably awful closet, was a dark brown sweater. I sighed, in reluctance.

Surprisingly, Charlie didn't mention my choice of attire on the drive to school. Instead, he seemed quite cheerful. I, however, was panicking.

"You can't take me to school EVERYDAY! What about your job!?" I screeched.

"Stop fussing. I'm a grown man. I called in and Harvey said I can take some extra time off. He understands"

I sighed and leant back in my chair, trying not to think about the overbearing attention I would receive, but the moment came all too soon, as Charlie parked just outside the school. He didn't want to take the police cruiser into the school car park - neither did I.

I tried to keep my head down as I turned the corner into Forks High.

"Oh my _goodness_! Bella!" Jessica shrieked. "How are you? We've missed you! Oh I hope your okay!"

Did the girl have a built in radar or something? How did she notice me so quickly?

"I'm fine Jess, honestly" I laughed.

"Hey Bella!" Mike and Eric instantly followed Jess.

Soon I was crowded by a mass of pupils, most of whom I didn't even know!

"Just smile Bella. It'll be okay. It'll be over son" I repeated in my head, over and over again.

"Just smile Bella… It'll be over soon… Keep going Bella…"

* * *

By the end of the day, I was exhausted. I had a mass of homework to catch up on but I didn't even have the strength to move my hand. It was too early to go to bed so I ran another hot bath.

Following a long, relaxing soak, I scrambled out of the bath before I boiled and threw on an old oversized T-Shirt. Brushing my hair was impossible, as the bathroom mirror was full of condensation. I wiped it off with a flick of the wrist and then froze.

Everything in the reflection was how it should be, nothing out of the ordinary – except a face.

I only saw it for a second, before it vanished, but that was enough time.

His ruffled bronze hair was resting over his flawless face.

And his eyes, his golden eyes, were infected by a disturbingly alarmed expression.


	6. Chapter 6: Bombshell

_Thanks for reading my story. I apologise again for not updating in weeks! To make it up to you, I updated this chapter super fast - one day! It's a new record for me! My mum is letting me borrow her laptop so I can write a lot more!  
Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer._

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX**

I stumbled backwards. My legs were no longer able to hold me. I tried to stretch out my arms to break my fall, but they wouldn't move. I landed on the cold, bathroom tiles. My eyes were still glued to the mirror. _What was he doing here?_

"Bella? Are you ok?" Charlie's concerned voice sharply brought me back to reality.

"I'm fine, just dropped my crutches" I forced my voice to be steady. My gaze never left the mirror.

I held out a shaky hand to the door handle and yanked it open, almost as if I was expecting him to be stood there. I hobbled back to my bedroom and landed on a soft tranquillity of pillows. My eyes closed automatically, to shut out the memory of Edward's face, but he appeared behind my eyelids. I wanted to open my eyes again, but my mind had other ideas as I drifted into unconsciousness.

I was thankful for the departure of alarming disturbances, as the next couple of weeks passed without out any unusual interruptions. I as getting used to life on crutches, and my leg was healing well. Charlie was pleased with my progress, but he still insisted on a check up at the hospital.

"There's no need to cause a fuss, dad. I don't need to go to the hospital!" I pleaded.

"It's better to be safe than sorry" was his finalising reply.

I glanced around the waiting room. A frail old man, was sleeping on a tatty armchair, a bowler hat resting on his lap, and a little boy had tear stains coating his cheeks as his mother pressed a bloody tissue to his nose and whispered to him in a reassuring tone.

I rummaged through the small selection of glossy magazines on the small, beaten coffee table in the middle of the room, but none of them attracted my interest. I had never really been fascinated by the concept of magazines.

Due to lack of things to think about, my mind drifted back to Edward's mysterious appearance in the mirror. No matter how much I refused to think about it, it forced its way into my mind.

Why was he there?

_He wasn't! You imagined it!_

But I haven't thought about him for weeks! Why would he show up now?

_You were tired! You needed sleep!_

But he seemed so real! Almost like I could touch him…

_He left you! He didn't want you! He still doesn't!_

I was stung by the harsh reality of my own cruel words - so much so that I surrendered to the voice of sanity inside my head.

"Darn waiting rooms" Charlie muttered, studying his watch.

"You don't need to hold my hand at everything" I struggled to force a small laugh. "I'm fine on my own"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I can catch a taxi home"

"Sorry Bells" Charlie said, standing up. "I really have to get to work"

"Don't worry about it"

Charlie smiled for a second before hastily making his way across the waiting room and breaking into a jog once he reached the door.

Thankfully, my mind was unable to shift into another unwanted daydream of Edward and my disquieting mental state.

Maybe I would be better in a mental hospital than here, I wondered.

A small, shy voice spoke from behind the long, metal counter at the end of the room. "Isabella Swan? Dr. Cullen will see you now"

I stood up automatically as soon as she spoke my name, and was then immensely grateful I had my crutches as they were the only things holding me up.

_Cullen..?_

Instead of standing around, with my mouth gawping like the mental patient I was, I limped to the end of the corridor, trembling.

The nameplate on the large, cold white door still read "Dr. Winston" so I attempted to reassure myself that I had heard incorrectly.

I gently knocked on the door before opening it a crack.

"Ah, Isabella. It's nice to see you again"

All the blood ran from my face, probably making me look more like him.

He politely nodded and signalled for me to enter. I realised I was still stood in the doorway.

I felt sick. I was going to pass out. My brain was spinning in my head, making me feel dizzy. I could hear the blood in my ears. My heart was in my mouth.

"Would you please sit on the bed?"

My legs moved without me. Obviously knowing I needed to sit down before I collapsed. I mentally thanked them.

"Dr. Winston informed me of your condition before he left. A car crash, I believe"

"Yes"

_Cullen…_

"What exactly do you remember about the accident?"

"Not much… Just slamming into the tree, and then waking up here…" Now that I thought about it, I realised I couldn't recall much about the incident. His sparkling eyes darted across a clipboard as I spoke.

_Carlisle Cullen…_

He cleared his throat and his eyes moved from the papers, onto me. "Let's take a quick look at that leg"

I winced as he removed the cast. My heart was still whirring in my ears, the noise was amplified and I could barely hear Dr Cullen's continuous and approving mutters.

"Your leg's healing very well. It won't be long before you won't need the crutches – but when you feel you don't need them, take it easy.

I nodded stupidly. There were so many questions I needed to ask him. What was he doing here? What about the rest of his family? Were they okay? Where was… Edward?

Before I could even contemplate on whether I should ask him, he spoke.

"I think I'll just do a quick check up – you've been through quite an ordeal"

I nodded again.

Carlisle tuned around to gather some equipment. The pungent smell of disinfectant flooded the air. The examining room was small, but the window was open to ventilate the room and help relieve the inhabitants from the stinging air.

I was still gazing out of it when Carlisle cleared his throat. I seemed to gaze out of hospital windows a lot.

"Now…" He bent down so his face was level with mine but his shimmering blonde hair and serene expression was suddenly cut off as he placed a small torch in front of my eyes and held out his finger, at which I had to look.

He also completed a few more typical hospital tests, listening to my heartbeat and such.

He finished documenting the results by scribbling on his clipboard.

"Overall you seem fine, but I'll need to check up on your leg again in a few weeks. It's healing very well so I'll bandage it instead of putting on a cast."

I winced as his fingers, which were like icicles, wrapped there way around my limb.

He held out a small, printed slip of paper. I reached out for it with a quivering hand. I hoped he didn't nice the tremor in my fingertips.

He was a vampire. Of course he noticed.

"I'll be seeing you soon Bella" His tone had darkened and he stared deep into my eyes.

I scrambled off the bed and hurried out the door.

Most people depart from hospitals feeling better. I however, felt much, much worse.

* * *

_Reveiws and constructive critism are always apreciated!_


	7. Chapter 7: Inhuman II

_Hello y'all and thanks for sticking with me for this long. Reveiws are ALWAYS appreciated, constructive critism or not.  
Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight._

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

"So what did Dr. Winston say?" Charlie asked, spooning a forkful of steaming baked potato into his mouth.

"It wasn't Dr. Winston" I informed him. There was no point in lying, he would find out anyway. "He's left. Dr. Cullen has taken his place."

Charlie dropped his fork and it clattered to his plate.

"But he said I was fine and I won't need the crutches soon" I hastily added, trying to make it sound like I didn't care. I pushed the food around my plate, staring at it, trying to disguise my anxiety.

"Dr. _Cullen!" _Charlie shrieked. "I thought he'd left!"

"He did" I couldn't think of anything else to say. I nibbled on a lettuce leaf, although the last thing I felt like doing was eating. I felt like going to sleep and never waking up.

"What about… the rest of his family?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen them at school"

"Well… that's good news about your leg"

"Yeah"

Silence roamed the small dining area of the house, only interrupted by the occasional scraping of forks. I could tell Charlie was trying to work out how Carlisle's sudden appearance had affected me, so I threw him a small smile to reassure him and he returned to devouring his dinner.

* * *

Before long, I was able to walk around the house, unassisted by my crutches. Charlie kept his hand a couple of centimetres from my waist as, bit by bit, I made my way across the living room. And after a little practise, Charlie's support was unnecessary and I could freely move around the house, leaning on furniture if I needed to. It felt so good to be able to move again, even if it was limited.

Charlie had to complete some emergency paperwork at the station, so I was home alone for the day and after a while of wondering what to do with my time; I decided to stretch my legs even more. I was confined to this house without crutches, but I felt I was stable enough to go out. But where could I go? Mike and Jess had gone out for the day, and Angela had gone to visit her uncle in Seattle. I didn't really want to visit Jacob, but I knew I had no choice. Something was scratching at my mind, commanding me to see how he was after the occurrence at the hospital.

Jacob must have seen me coming. He didn't answer the door even after the fourth knock, but I continued anyway. He wasn't getting rid of me that easily.

"What do you want?" He growled, in a gruff voice.

Was that really Jacob? He was already tall but now he was towering over me, heat exuding from his russet skin. He had cut his black hair shorter, but had grown out again and fell limply over his frowning, bushy eyebrows.

"Well?" He snarled.

"I- erm" All the words I had revised to say to him on the long walk here, suddenly seemed pathetic. "I just wanted to see how you were" I shrugged.

"I'm fine" He started to shut the door, but I stopped it with my foot.

"What happened at the hospital?" I blurted out, unable to restrain myself.

Jacob sighed and loosened his shoulders, but they didn't even come close to reaching mine. He bent down so his face was next to mine and studied my face, his eyes closed and his fingers clenched into fists. He sharply inhaled then took a step back into the doorway. Before closing the door he turned around to face me once more, and there was no mistaking his hurt expression.

I stood, for a moment outside the door too shocked to move, even when it started to rain. Only when a raindrop trickled down my back did I shudder and look up at the grey clouds that were forming. It was stupid of me to go out in Forks and not bring an umbrella, but I expected Jacob to invite me in once he realised it was raining. He didn't.

I walked home as fast as I could - which wasn't very fast due to my limp. I mulled over what Jacob had said to me at our brief encounter, but couldn't reach any logical reason why he would act in such a way.

Charlie still hadn't finished work when I returned home, so I microwaved a small meal and changed into some dry clothes. A mug of seaming hot tea didn't really appeal to me but I was soaking wet and freezing so I wrapped myself in towels and sat on the sofa with the cup of tea warming my hands. I tried not to shiver too much as I knew it meant I would spill it.

* * *

I couldn't sleep. Carlisle, Edward and Jacob's faces all swam into my mind, flooding my brain causing all reasonable thoughts to drown - and soon, everything in my mind fused into a mass of unfathomable clutter. Trying to sort my mind out was like trying to find a needle in a haystack, but for some reason I couldn't stop searching

I woke, the next morning, with a feeling that someone had rammed sandpaper down my throat. Stupid Jacob, if I had a cold I was holding him personally responsible.

"Morning Bells" Charlie looked up from his newspaper and nodded at me.

"Morning" I nodded back.

The consequences of a sleepless night hadn't managed to sink in yet, so I poured a cup of coffee hoping the caffeine would fight them off even more.

"What's your plan for today?" Charlie asked.

"I don't know" answered. "I think I'll go into Port Angeles, you know, for some clothes"

Charlie's head immediately ducked back under his newspaper once the word "clothes" slipped from my lips. He knew I wasn't a very fashion-obsessed girl but shopping scared him anyway, what with the loud music, strong smell of leather shoes and riotous women.

"You look tired" Charlie noted.

So it was obvious.

"Didn't get much sleep"

I grabbed a pain killer for the ever-increasing pain in my throat and headed back upstairs before I had to explain to Charlie why I was unable to sleep.

Charlie was lying on the sofa, his feet resting on the coffee table, flicking over the cannels, unable to come to a decision on what to watch when I returned.

"Bye dad"

He turned to face me.

"I probably won't be home when you get back; I'm going fishing with Harry. You'll be ok wont you?"

"Yeah, of course"

He threw the remote down in defeat and frowned at the TV set as I walked out the door.

* * *

Water was leaking through my trainers and drenching my socks. I sighed and realised I would have to buy a new pair. Shoes were the worst thing to buy, it was so fussy. It had started to rain so I tried to find the nearest shoe shop I could.

I wandered for a while, hunting for a shop when I noticed a familiar sight. A young, blonde woman was hurrying through puddles, desperate to find a shelter. I tried to remember where I had seen this woman before.

I balked suddenly as I recalled where I had seen her. She was in the changing room at Marks and Spenser's whilst I was rummaging through a clothes rack. She was sat at a table reading a magazine in Starbucks when I was resting my feet. She had appeared everywhere I had gone. She was following me.

No, I thought. Why would she? She hadn't even noticed me!

"_You _are following _her" _A sinister voice whispered in my head.

But I couldn't be! We had just happened to go to the same places – that was all. I wasn't a stalker; I didn't even know the woman! I started walking quickly in the opposite direction, but something was tugging at my feet, demanding that I went the other way. I tried to ignore it, but it wouldn't give in. Eventually I surrendered and span around. The woman was almost at the end of the alley, progressing to the main shopping street. I stepped back as something hit me in the chest and immediately I could hear thumping in my ears and a mouth-watering taste lingered in my mouth, as if someone was holding a bar a chocolate inches away from my tongue.

I only realised I was sprinting towards the woman when a tsunami of water poured trough my scraps of trainer. But I didn't stop, I couldn't. I was getting close to the woman; she had barely moved a fraction in the time I had sprinted to her. As I got closer I realised what the delicious smell was.

Blood. The pounding in my ears suddenly picked up a rhythm and I realised it was the beating of the blood flowing through her veins.

I wanted to stop, I felt sick. But the realisation of the blood drove me even further. My hand was outstretched, ready to snatch her throat. I was screaming at myself, trying to pull myself back. I almost thought it was too late, when a cold arm gripped around my waist and with an almighty force, threw me backwards. My head struck a wall behind me and the strangers arm was still coiled around me, but I didn't care. I forced out a lungful of air as the woman strolled onto the main street and disappeared from my view.


	8. Chapter 8: Alone

_Hello and thanks for reading! I'm so sorry I abandoned this site and didn't update for AGES. It's the second time I've done this. From now on, I vow to write (at least) one chapter every two weeks so please stick with me! I often complain about being bored, so now I'll have something to do. Yay!  
I'm already starting my countdown for Christmas. I can't wait. I might do a small Christmas spoof of something. Not sure yet though.  
Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight. x_

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHT - ALONE**

I was struggling to breathe, leaning against whosever arm it was pinning me to them. They grabbed my shoulder with their spare hand, and the coldness of it ran though me like a bolt of electricity. I gasped in shock as memories flickered through my eyes like a movie, blinding me from the rest of the world.

I saw myself tearing the space between me and the oblivious blonde woman, bloodlust coating my eyes, staining them a strangely familiar shade of crimson. My skin was even paler, although there was still a hint of blush in my cheeks. I was trying to take it all in when the scene abruptly changed. This scene was older, fuzzier but still recognizable. I noticed the remains of my truck lying crumpled against a tree and lying in the middle, was me. Blood was spreading along the ground and suddenly I was in the strong arms of a hooded figure. His hood fell as he lowered his head next to mine and I realised why my crimson eyes were so familiar; they were the same as the pair on the figure.

I didn't need to see anymore. I knew what happened next. I shut my eyes so tight that they hurt but the vision of Aro sinking his teeth in my neck still appeared in my mind. My eyes opened with a flash and I noticed I was trembling. What had I become? I was a monster. I was even worse than the three creatures that attacked me. What had I called them? …Inhuman. That's what I was. I wanted to cry, but no tears appeared in my eyes. I ducked my head in shame and sobbed.

The cold arms clutched me tighter. Thoughts of Aro holding me swamped my mind and I automatically jerked away. The cold arms let me move sensing my fright. I jumped back into a puddle and faced my opponent.

My eyes ere wide in shock trying to take in the beauty standing before me. He stared at me for a moment, and I tried to work out the expression on his face. Was it disappointment, or disgust of what I had just done, or was it apologetic? Suddenly, he started running. I wanted to run after him, but he was already gone.

I was petrified in shock. It was hard to believe that a moment ago I was in the arms of Edward, his scent still lingered. Now I couldn't be more alone or scared. But I wasn't scared for myself - I was scared for everyone around me. I was dangerous.

I began to run, avoiding the town. I didn't know where I was running to. Mainly I was trying to run away from myself. My feet carried me like they from were a separate person. I tried to stop but a voice inside my head ushered me to keep going. This voice was softer, gentler, and safer. I recognized it somehow, unlike the other voice. The blood crazed voice of an animal.

I found myself collapsing on a roadside somewhere. I knew it had to be somewhere close to Forks, I wasn't a marathon runner - but then I remembered I was a vampire now. I could run anywhere. The thought comforted me a little. It meant I didn't have to be around Forks anymore, so there was no way I could attack Charlie. A roadside probably wasn't the best place to be though, as I would be easily spotted, so I continued running. I tried looking out for signs, but whenever I spotted something I passed it too quick to notice .But I couldn't stop. I wouldn't. I wanted to run away into the distance where no one would find me and I could die peacefully alone. I was a monster. I could kill anyone. I would rather die myself. I lay in the long grass looking up at the stars, trying to count them all. I felt so alone. Could Vampires cry? I was surprised that tears weren't pouring down my face, or maybe I was just going numb. I hoped it was the numbness. I didn't want to feel anymore. No more pain, guilt, fear, loneliness. It was just me now, just myself to talk to for the rest of eternity. I stared at the sun as it punched the darkness out of the sky. Why did the sun do that? Why couldn't we live in darkness for ever? It would be a lot easier. No one would have to see me; I wouldn't have to see me. I hated the proud sun. I had to get away.

I made my way along the long grass, unaware of the drops of water sliding down me. Vampires didn't feel cold, so I had no idea it was raining. I was just focusing on getting out of the sun. My hand was in front of my eyes, trying to block out the bright morning sun, impairing my vision causing me to stumble but eventually I found a small abandoned barn. The thick wooden door was bolted and stiff but I managed to prise it open. There was water dripping from the roof but I didn't care. The room was small and there were no windows. It blocked out all light. Now it was an eternal night for me. Only me.

Sleep was physically impossible so all I could do was think. Thoughts of Charlie and Jacob flooded my mind, and how I had abandoned them. They were probably so worried about me, along with mom, especially just after the "accident". I was tempted to return just to see their faces but I feared I may not be able to control the monster inside me. Jacob didn't seem to care about me at the hospital, so maybe he wouldn't be too upset at my disappearance. Unsurprisingly, my mind wandered to Edward.. I hugged myself tight; trying to imagine it was Edward there with me, looking after me as he had done a few moments ago. But Edward, who was unbelievably perfect, who was so selfless, would hate me know. He would be disgusted by what I had done. I know_ I_ was. I closed my eyes, but all I could see was his angelic face twisted into an expression of hate. But at least now I was alone. At least now I could imagine he was here.

Suddenly I found myself sprinting across the overgrown shrubs as fast as lightning. The same feeling of helplessness and lack of restraint as of before was present again.

"Bloodlust" I thought. It was the bloodlust that was manipulating me. And there was nothing I could do.

I snapped my eyes shut and prayed for the poor soul that was about to become my next meal.

A squeal rang through my sharp ears and I looked down upon my victim, who I had now pounced upon. A small deer was struggling underneath my strong hands. For a moment I felt compassion for the animal, but once my heartless and sadistic eyes set upon the thick veins running through the deer's neck, all I could feel was the taste of warm, sweet blood between my teeth. And at once, the squealing stopped.

* * *

Even hours after my savage devouring, the taste of blood still lingered in my mouth. However, this wasn't the tantalising taste as before, this tasted like guilt and no matter how many times I tried, I could never seem to swallow it.

The feeling remained all night. The smell of blood was overpowering, so I couldn't help but run outside for some fresh air – but it made no difference. My stomach was attempting somersaults – and I was no gymnast. I tried to breathe slowly instead of hyperventilating but it did little difference. My head was spinning and there was nothing I could do. I let out a cry caused by the pain in my stomach until I bent over in agony. I began to heave and eventually the insides of my stomach were thrown up in a pile of bloody vomit. I gagged a few more times before collapsing under my feet.

* * *

The dark shield covering my eyes eventually disappeared, revealing soft clouds dancing along the sky, and a gentle breeze skimmed my face. Was I dead? I hoped so. But then the overpowering smell of blood and sick reached my nostrils and I forced my arms to drag me away before I threw up again. The memories of last night became clear and confusion clouded my brain. I couldn't think straight. Wasn't I supposed to be a vampire? But what was this feeling now once again in my tummy. I turned over expecting to retch, but instead I realised the cramps in my stomach were caused by hunger. What was wrong with me? Maybe I was going mad. Maybe I was ill. MaybeI was going to die. The thought didn't affect me. To whom would I be a loss? Animals and people suffered and died because of me. I would be doing the world a favour…

A small rustle in the trees behind me was magnified in my ears, followed by the pounding sound of rapid footsteps. I snapped my head round quick but the scenery behind me had not changed. I began follow the footsteps (this time out of curiosity - and with control over myself), slipping off my shoes as I ran. The ground was pulsing with vibrations. Whatever I was chasing wasn't human.

It began to rain torrentially as the vibrations eventually faded out. A tingle out cold ran smoothly down my spine and a violent rush of bitter ice forced its way down my throat. I struggled a breath, realising I needed to breath. But all this was unimportant as a sharp pain in my feet made me realise where I was. A forest, with some very familiar looking debris surrounding the trees.

* * *

_By the way, I'm sorry if this chapter doesn't seem to flow. I wrote a paragraph one week, then if I could be bothered (or remembered) I'd write another next week and so on. But I wanted to get a chapter out as soon as possible so I didn't re-write it. Anyway please tell me what you think!_


	9. Chapter 9: Eternal Tears

_Hello everyone! Thank you so much for sticking with my story for so long! know I said I would try to update once a week, or something like that, but I guess that idea went out of head as soon as I typed it - I'm sorry! However, you may be pleased to know that it is my new years resolution to write and update more! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!_

Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight. I only own a copy.

* * *

**CHAPTER NINE  
**

Why was I here? Was whoever I was chasing trying to lead me here, to this place of torment? Was it Aro, teasing me, playing with me? I cautiously scanned the area but there were no irregularities – until a bright colour caught my eye, contrasting with the green background. I pulled something hot pink and fluffy out of the ground, and smirked. It was the dice Jacob gave me. He wanted me to put them in my car. I had refused of course. Pink fluffy dice? Come on Jacob. Get real. Did he really think I would use them?

The normality of my own thoughts surprised me, and I realised I missed them. I wanted the feature of my mind to be so careless again. I had to return, even I hated myself forever. Then again, it wouldn't make much difference. I darted around the trees. My legs were tired from the chase but I kept the thought of a normal life pushing me on – even though at the back of my mind I knew that would never be possible.

I came to a standstill on a ledge, hidden by the trees, overlooking Forks. I was guessing it was a Sunday due to the minute amount of activity. A young woman, who I did not know, was pushing a small pram but apart from that, there was very little happening. My vision wandered to the cover of trees that leaned over the town, protecting it from harm, from me. But I couldn't stop myself. My heart ached at the sight of my little town, my home.

I made my way down the forest as fast as I could, tears disguised as rain. My breathing grew faster as I caught sight of my little house. My bare feet were drowning in puddles but I kept my eyes on the house - until I tripped over the curb. Way to go Bella. I grabbed a lamppost to help myself up, but accidently pulled something off. A poster, with a picture of me plastered on the front. Through the waterlogged paper and smudged ink I made out the caption above it. "MISSING" Guilt swept through my stomach. I had left for a reason, for the safety of he ones I loved, but there was no note left, no explanation. Through no fault of his own, Charlie was suffering – and it was _my_ fault. I needed to see him.

With a shaking hand I turned the doorknob. My eyes were shut tight and I took in the soft, welcoming scent of my home. With the reaction of silence to my appearance, I opened the door even further and walked inside. The house seemed so cold, as if there was nobody living in it. My bare feet guided me into the main room, where I caught sight of myself in the mirror at the end of the room. The first thing that worried me was my eyes? Were still a blood red? I ran to the mirror and sighed in relief. My eyes were as sickly colour, a mixture between pink and my usual brown. My hair was a tangled mess and there were familiar dark shadows under my eyes.

"I could get away with this" I told myself, after all, it's not like there had been luxury showers where I had been. As I heard the soft _click_ of a key in the doorknob I span around. I sniffed, it was a human – no, better – it was Charlie. When he realised it wasn't locked, he swiftly opened the door. At first he didn't see me, he just through his keys onto the sofa. His head snapped up when he heard my soft sob. Bags hung from his red eyes and all traces of the smile I longed to see had vanished, leaving a ghostly and cold expression.

"…Bella?" He stammered.

He grabbed the sofa for support.

"It's me dad" I whispered through tears.

"No…no…" He pushed his shaking hand through his hair.

"It's me…" I repeated.

With cautious steps he made his way slowly towards me. His arms reached out and he cupped my face with his hands, catching my tears. He softly ran his hands through my hair and looked my up and down, making sure I was real. Seeing the expression of hope on his face broke my heart. How could I have done this to him?

"I'm sorry dad…I'm so sorry…" I murmured barely loud enough for either of us to hear, before I slipped to the floor and broke down in tears.

I cried.

I cried so hard the world raced ahead leaving me at the starting line. I was fighting an emotional battle and losing. My head was forced down from the weight of my guilty tears. I was shaking so hard I couldn't move, but soon enough I was cradled on Charlie's lap, a blanket thrown over my shoulders and a steaming mug of hot chocolate in me hand. Voices were filling the air; I looked up worryingly to make sure they weren't in my head, but Charlie mistook my expression.

"It's okay Bells" He hushed. His voice sounded weak, like he had a sore throat. But I knew I had hurt him much more than that.

As I looked around, the number of people crowding our small living room instantly huddled into a mob in the space in front of me. They each shoved words down my throat and as they pushed forward to me even more, I could begin to feel their warmth on my face. A thousand breaths were being forced down my throat as they spoke. I needed to breath but they kept talking. I was hyperventilating.

"Hey! What are doing?" Charlie's voice was no longer weak.

The whole of my search party grew silent and Charlie lowered his voice.

"Stand back a bit please. I know you're all worried about her, believe me so am I but the best thing we can do is let her rest and take her to hospital"

I didn't know if he had finished talking, but he was interrupted by a polite knock on the door. The stranger entered without any initiation to do so, but they remained near the door, their head low.

"Excuse me Charlie"

I froze.

A pair of piercing yet beautifully tranquil eyes stared up from the base of now saturated hat.

"I agree with your suggestion about a hospital fully. Perhaps we should take her there at once so she can rest. It appears she will find it hard resting in here"

Of course Charlie greatly accepted. How could he not?

ChalieCharlie held me close to his chest while someone else held an umbrella over us. Dr. Cullen courteously opened the door of his sleek black car for us.

"Thank you, everyone," For a moment a wondered who Charlie could be speaking to, but there was still a concerned crowd outside our house. "For helping me and your support. Hopefully now we can get Bells to hospital so she's safe"

And with that we drove away. Charlie was stroking my hair softy and murmuring and Carlisle was sat upright, his eyes on the road like a gentleman. I would usually be expecting him to be frantically checking up on me there and then, but he knew. Of course he knew. We needed to be alone before we he could talk. I couldn't tell whether he was acing hostile, in shock, or just waiting for the right moment. I didn't know why he was even doing this. Carlisle was a good person. He would never do anything to upset Charlie, but for me, I wasn't so sure. I closed my eyes from the harsh streetlamps outside, and leaned against Charlie. Soft tears continued to roll down my face. Would they ever stop?

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_Thanks for reading, please reveiw. _


	10. Chapter 10: Testimony

_Hello and thanks again everyone! In the last chapter I mentioned it was my new years reolution to write and update more and so far I think I'm doing ok! Although I'll still try and update faster next time. I know this story is being dragged out a bit but I have a really good twist that will hopefully come within the next couple of chapters so please please please continue reading! Enjoy!_

_Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight!_

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**CHAPTER TEN **

Charlie accompanied me almost all of the night. He knelt down beside me and listened to me mumbling nonsense. I was talking to fast. There was so much I had to say, but at the same time I didn't want to say anything at all. Charlie's chocolate brown eyes stared into their partner, reading my soul, but I flashed my eyes away.

_Knock_

Carlisle was now wearing a white doctor's coat.

"I'm sorry Charlie but visiting hours are over. Besides, you both need some rest" He stated. It had been decided that I would stay overnight, just run a few tests and make sure I was okay. Charlie sighed. He didn't want to leave. I didn't want him to leave either. I didn't want to explain to Carlisle. I didn't want to face my fate.

"I suppose your right Doc" Charlie gave me another hopeful yet worried look. "I'll be here tomorrow Bells. Keep safe" He stroked my hair out of my face and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. His neck was stretched across my mouth and those few seconds were agony. I clenched my fist and forced the image of me throwing up after drinking blood. It was a horrible thought but it was the only one that could stop me. Charlie's blood smelt delicious, old and tired yes, but delicious. I wanted it – but I couldn't. Not Charlie. Not my dad.

Carlisle opened the door for Charlie, and they murmured something between them, and Carlisle put his hand on Charlie shoulder, before shutting the door with a soft click.

It was just me and him now. The room was taken over cold and I shuddered underneath the crisp hospital bedcovers.

"It's ok Bella. You needn't be afraid" His voice was like a golden harp.

My eyes widened. He turned around to face me, an apologetic, caring look on his perfectly sculptured face.

"You've had us worried" He continued, his voice still soft and kind. "And confused. Alice only knew that you had been bitten, so we returned."

My insides tightened at the sound of my best friend's name. I had let her down too.

"But then Edward found you…"

It wasn't my insides that tightened then; it was every other part of my body. My heart throbbed in time with my fast, silent sobs.

"…And you were…well…But then you had disappeared"

Carlisle softly rested his hand on mine. His smooth skin was pale and unblemished, but not cold. I knew what this meant, but I wasn't afraid.

"You're not human anymore Bella…" Carlisle slid his fingers around my hand and placed his other hand above it.

"…but you're not a vampire either…"

I didn't know if he had said anything after that. Tsunamis of blood in my head swam around merging my senses. What was I? A freak? A monster? What was wrong with me?

"Bella?" Carlisle took my attention once more. "I need you to tell me_ everything _that happened"

I couldn't. I couldn't relive it. Not again. It hurt.

"I…can't…" I whispered. My throat hurt through suppressing so many cries.

"You're home now Bella and we're here. You're not alone anymore – but nothing is going to get better if you don't tell me"

I sighed. He was right. I mentally prepared to torment myself, before beginning my story with a shaky voice, which degenerated into sobs. Still, I kept going.

I expected Carlisle to be nodding and comforting me, but he wasn't. He just stared at me. I desperately wondered what kinds of thoughts were whizzing around in his head.

Eventually, when I had finished speaking and my voice had been reduced to pathetic cries, the trance in his eyes broke.

"Thank you Bella, I understand that was hard" His tone was gentle and his eyebrows slanted in concern over golden pools.

I continued staring at him, telepathically asking for more answers, for everything to be explained.

"I have a theory, but I'll need to take some blood to prove it. Is that ok?"

As the blood was extracted, I turned my head sharply, but the smell of it still hit my throat hard and I gagged.

"I'm sorry I can't tell you more Bella" Carlisle had an apologetic look on his face, matching his voice. He had hidden the blood, out of, sight in his long, white, pristine coat pocket for which I was thankful. "Now please get some rest. I'll be back tomorrow"

Half of the night had been taken up by my confession, but the rest passed far from quickly, or easily, as my terrorised mind drifted to disturbed thoughts of my own past. I tried to logically analyze my situation, but nothing was making sense anymore. I had lost a small part of my sanity when I believed in vampires, and even more when Edward left, but I come to terms with it. However I didn't know if I could do it again. There was no logic, no explanation, no meaning. I wanted answers, and sense. I wanted the night through which I continued to distress myself to end, but I was dreading the moment grey clouds of Forks rose with dawn and Carlisle walked through the doors and declared my destiny, if I had one. What was there for me to live for anymore?

Eventually, nearer to the morning than night, the steady lullaby beeping of my heart monitor sent me to sleep.

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_I hope you've enjoyed reading! I really really really wanted to finish this chapter with an explanation but her falling asleep seemed like a good place to end and I didn't want to rush the explanation or make this chapter too long. Please review and continue reading when I update :)_


	11. Chapter 11: Doomsday

_Hi! Hope you're all okay. Thanks for reading my story :)_

**_Before you read it, do you think you could spare a minute to answer my question?_**  
_I have just created a Youtube account and I was wondering what sort of videos you would like, what kind of videos you already watch, what else do you know of that is already popular, or just any suggestions, tips or ideas._  
_Do any of you have a youtube account? Any advice?_  
_Please either message me or just reply in a review_  
_Thanks! Any replies will be mucly appreciated!!_

_Anyway, onto the story!_  
_Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight_

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**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

Carlisle's form appeared twice. The room was spinning. I felt like I was going to throw up.

…_A half-vampire..._

I had forgotten everything else he had said. The pure white of the hospital room suddenly seemed too bright as a thousand thoughts filled my head.

"Aro…" I whispered. Due to my dizziness I didn't know where to look, so I continued staring at the ceiling.

"Yes. I've never come across anything like it" Carlisle also spoke quietly. We were both in shock.

"But how…"

"I have a theory. When a vampire bites a human, they can either turn into a vampire or be drained of blood and die. Since you were bitten but not completely drained…"

He was trying to put it nicely, but I still shuddered.

"That's not possible" I shook my head gently, and then regretted it as the room spun even more"

"Your speedy recovery after the attack, your bloodlust, throwing up after drinking, your enhanced senses, your ability to cry and breath, your heartbeat…"

I could feel his presence closer.

"Each second, your life contradicts with itself. You should be dead, but you should be a blood-crazed newborn vampire"

"What… will I do?"

"I know what I'm going to ask may sound hard, but you have to do it…"

He stared into my eyes.

"You're going to die"

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"You can't go on living with Charlie. It's too risky. If you attack him, or he finds out about us some other way, the Volturi… won't be happy."

He purposely spoke fast, so I didn't have time to dwell on this heartbreaking thought.

"I can officially diagnose you with Pneumonia, and then file your death. I can sneak you out and take you home."

His voice was quick trying to spare me of the pain caused by dwelling over this fact.

He referred to the Cullen household as 'Home'. It hurt to think this but I needed to get use to it as soon as possible.

I ran his plan over once again in my head and decided on my two options. I could either ignore my fate, out of fear and end up attacking Charlie, or one of my friends -and causing the Volturi to pay us a visit, or I could accept what had happened and go with Carlisle.

I swayed towards the first option. It was easier, less painful, but thinking about the consequences if I attacked made me change my mind. It was too risky.

My breath caught in my throat, as if to try and stop me, but I forced out a small word.

"Okay"

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The next few weeks passed too quickly and my planned doomsday arrived. Charlie, Renee and my school had been warned abut my "Pneumonia" and "critical condition". I had visits almost everyday from school friends, especially Mike, Angela, Jess and Eric. Renee and Charlie were almost residing at the hospital. Usually I would tell them to go home, stop worrying and get some rest, but this time I didn't want them too. I wanted as much time with them as possible as I knew I would probably never see them again as of tonight.

I said goodnight to them extra specially, while tearing my own heart, and theirs too, into pieces. I would always remember them. Renee's crazy ideas and how she was always positive. Charlie's friendly smiles, and how many memories I had shared with both of them. Memories of happiness and how I was loved so much by both of them. And I let them knew I loved them back.

The precious time I had with them passed horrifyingly quickly.

Carlisle walked in.

My breath caught in my throat.

I threw a pleading look at him. I needed more time.

My eyes raced towards my parents as they left the room.

I recalled each second I had spent with them in my head, so I would never forget.

I pretended to sleep. My heart beating so hard, in sync with the timer counting down the seconds until…

_Beeeeep _

A long red line appeared on the screen next to me. For a moment nothing happened. It was peaceful, but soon enough, as planned Carlisle ran into the ward, followed by three nurses.

"Clear"

My body went into spasm as electricity was poured through my veins. Carlisle had told me it wouldn't harm me, but at this moment I wouldn't have cared if it did.

"Clear"

The pain caused by the electricity could never compare to the pain of hearing my parents' cries in the corridor.

"Clear"

I love you, Renee Charlie.

"Time of death, 22:13"

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_A short chapter, and a very sad one to write! :'( _  
_Hope you all liked it, please review and remember to answer my question about Youtube videos. It would be so helpful! Thanks :) _


	12. Chapter 12: Dark and Light

Hi again! Thanks for sticking with my story for so long. Since school has broken up for two weeks because of Easter, I felt oblidged to update, since I had the time. Please remember to answer my question about Youtube. In case you have forgotten, here it is:

_****__Before you read this chapter, do you think you could spare a minute to answer my question?_  
_I have just created a Youtube account and I was wondering what sort of videos you would like, what kind of videos you already watch, what else do you know of that is already popular, or just any suggestions, tips or ideas._  
_Do any of you have a youtube account? Any advice?_  
_Please either message me or just reply in a review_  
_Thanks! Any replies will be mucly appreciated!!_

Anyway, on with the story. Hope you like it!  


_Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight_

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Chapter 12

…"Time of death, 22:13"

The words kept floating around in my head, and I wished they were true. I couldn't stand this any more. I don't know why Carlisle didn't just kill me. As long as I was no danger to any humans, or revealing the secret of vampires to the world, why should he care whether I lived or died? Was there any reason for me to live? I couldn't think of one.

I thought about asking Carlisle for the favour, but he was a doctor. He would never do it.

The long beep had been going on for only four of my failed heartbeats, but it was still giving me a headache.

I wondered whether my heart had actually stopped of if Carlisle purposely caused the machine to malfunction. Vampires' hearts weren't supposed to beat. Humans' were. I was neither; an impossible abnormality.

Once I had released myself from listening to the torturing sound of my very own heart failure, I noticed that all the commotion had left the room and all that was left was a strange atmosphere of disturbingly peaceful unease. It was interrupted and altered however, when two familiar scents entered the room.

It took all the strength inside of me, and more, not to suddenly jump up and wipe the tears from my parents' faces. I felt water drip onto my face and as it fell against my lips, I could taste salt, and heartbreak.

Numerous other scents, filled the room, and then left taking my shrieking, crying parents with them. I desperately wanted to follow – but I couldn't move. I wondered it Carlisle had drugged me, or if I really was dying inside. I wouldn't be surprised if I was.

My journey to the morgue was silent. I was listening to the sounds of the hustle and bustle of an evening hospital around me, but I couldn't hear them. I was pushed, on a hard bed, through double doors and was immediately greeted by a tsunami of cold air. I softly heard Carlisle murmur, but I couldn't work out his actual words. As he left I felt a strange sense of nervousness. I was alone again, lost in my own mind without Carlisle's soothing voice.

The sheet was taken off of me, and the cold metal felt harsh as I led on it. With an eerie, echoing bang the door was shut.

For a moment it was peaceful and I felt the need to stretch my eyelids, but I came face to face with exactly the same thing as before. Darkness. I blinked again, and again, frantically trying to find a spec of light. I felt blind, and vulnerable. The darkness was suffocating me. I felt my breath getting trapped in my throat I pushed at the cold metal above me, trying to stop it from slowly falling, trapping me. The walls were closing in on me. I tried to push them away but I was too weak. I shouted and screamed for help, but they came out only in whispers. I continued trying to scream for help, but realised that the only people who were close enough to hear me, were lying right next to me. I could feel the coldness from their stone bodies seeping into the small amount of air around me. I heard a creak, and dead fingernails scratching and clawing at the thin metal surrounding me. The sound of it filled my head, and replaced every rational thought I had. When would I get out of here? What is Carlisle had forgotten about me, or purposely left me so I couldn't possibly kill anyone? I would be left here for days - and when eventually released, buried in a coffin under the ground where no one would hear me, for all eternity!

I screamed silently more and more, moving around as much as I could. The clawing on the metal had broken through and I could feel them scratching away at my cold skin, causing cuts everywhere. I desperately moved around, still pushing away the closing walls, but as the blood swirled around in my head there was a small bang and some murmuring outside.

Before I could recognize it in my estranged head, there was another creak, and a flash of blinding light. I threw my arms in front of my face, still struggling from the clawing.

"No… NO… Get off me!" I murmured, with my eyes still tightly shut.

"Hey, Bella, it's just me"

The soft voice hit me hard. I jumped up and wrapped my arms around a stone neck. A few tears running down my cheeks.

"Bella…?" Are you okay?" Carlisle asked. Worry lines appearing on his face.

I released my grasp of his neck and sat back down on the trolley.

"Sorry Carlisle…" I looked down. "I just freaked… after being in there…" I shuddered at the thought.

The worry lines on his face vanished, and the smooth beauty was restored again, not leaving a trace of the expression.

All of a sudden, two petite arms were wrapped around me.

"Oh Bella, I've missed you so much"

"Alice…?!"

"The one and only!"

Her pixie-like features turned into a grin, and I felt my self smiling back at her. Wow, I hadn't smiled for a long time. I looked at her, she hadn't changed. Her hair was still cropped, black, and sticking out in every direction possible, matching her personality perfectly, and I noticed how she was still managing to be fashionable inside a morgue.

"Carlisle filled me in on everything. Come on, lets go home" She said, followed by a gentle smile.

"How are you even here?" I asked. "I doubt you can just take dead people out of hospitals without being noticed – or arrested".

"Don't worry. We've sorted it" Carlisle answered. Alice winked at me. "But we need to hurry up before someone eventually comes in here. I couldn't buy us that much time. Alice, do you have the clothes?"

Together, Alice and Carlisle helped me off the trolley. After not using my legs, for so long, they weren't exactly strong.

Alice wrapped a black coat around my shoulders, for which I was grateful. It was cold in here. She pulled a bobble from her wrist and tied up my hair, and gave me a pair of pumps to throw on. The look was finished with a pair of sunglasses.

Alice stepped back, and looked at me.

"Definitely not my best work, but you'll do" She said, sticking her tongue out at me. She then turned her attention to Carlisle, who I noticed was no longer standing beside me. "You ready, Carlisle?"

"Just about" He said closing the metal door to the cupboard where I had been laid.

"What were you…?" I trailed off.

"As you said before, we couldn't just steal a body. We had to replace one"

The blood drained from my face.

"You… You didn't"

"Oh, of course not!" Alice gasped, shaking her head. "No, no, we didn't kill anyone!"

"Then what… what is it?" I looked back at Carlisle, who glanced at Alice, before replying.

"We'll explain later" He said seriously. "Now let's go, quick!" He hurried us out of the room.

From the florescent bulbs above me, and the absence of sunlight around the windows, I could tell it night – or very, very early morning - and as a result, the hospital wards weren't so busy. Even so, the noise of human activity seemed deafening, but I welcomed it, after the painful and lonely silence of the morgue. My heart beat faster than my footsteps, but Alice had a comforting arm around my waist guiding me, quickly, to the hospital's back door.

The small, refreshing draft from underneath the door swam around my ankles, and as we got closer, I felt a small snippet of the outside, of fresh air, of what had been deprived from me for days.

As Carlisle opened the door for us, the fading memories of the outside, free, world were brought back to life, carried by a gust of wind.

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_So what did you think? Please review and tell me. Thanks :)_


	13. Chapter 13: Questioned Explanations

_Welcome back! I am always thankful for readers, but today I would like make a special thank you for reading my fanfic, even with irregular posts and long long long stretches of time with updates. I am very very sorry! I am currently in the middle of the summer holidays, so I'll try to write lots, while I have the time, to make up for my long absence.  
I know this chapter is shorter and not as good as the rest but I was so desperate to upload something soon since I hadn't for ages. Please tell me what you think! Thanks again :)  
_

_Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer_

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**Chapter 13**

The cool breeze brushed against my skin, taking all of my thoughts and worries with it. I closed my eyes and let the gentle wind sweep the few strands of hair that had fallen loose from my ponytail and stuck to my face with sweat, away. I threw off my sunglasses, now that we were out of the hospital and was greeted by a full bright moon and a sprinkling of stars. It looked as if someone had lit up a thousand light bulbs in the sky. Some were bigger, and brighter, but others were running out of battery life and were fading and flickering. It was a very welcoming sight, and different from the all too known blindingly white hospital florescent lights.

My eyes sighed a thousand sighs, and my heart smiled so wide it showed across my chest as it rose, and dropped as I filled my lungs with the fresh, night air I had been deprived of for so long.

As I breathed, a wave of spring filled my nose and thoughts of dewy grass and nodding, accepting daffodils filled my mind.

But I was brought back to reality with the slamming of a familiar shiny black Mercedes passenger door. Alice smoothly slid into to back seat with me, for which I was grateful. She fasten her seatbelt in the sleek leather seat next to me and linked her arm in mine and filled the spaces between my fingers with her slender, soft fingers and nails (that were coated in shiny, clear nail polish and a perfect white strip across the top from a French manicure). She squeezed my hand tight and the pale skin on my arm tingled against her cold, beautiful arm.

I thought, for a moment about where I was going; to the Cullen's house. I had missed them all so much - Esme, with her warm motherly love, and Emmett who seemed just like a protective older brother. But there was also Edward. Edward who left me, he didn't want me anymore… and now I was going to live with him… I had almost forgotten about the times I had "seen" him, down the shopping alley where, in a second, he had prevented me from becoming a murderer. He was probably even more disgusted with me, and never wanted to see my face again, what would he do when I arrived to live with him? Was I breaking the incredibly close bonds of their family?

I shook my head, trying to loosen the questions that were strongly holding onto my mind, and were reluctant to let go. I forced myself to think about something else.

"So…" I paused, thinking about what to say when a thought suddenly struck me. "You didn't kill anyone… but how did you…?"

Carlisle cleared his throat. "I'm not surprised you don't know what's been going on. We've been trying to keep it quiet… especially from the human society".

Alice squeezed my hand again.

"We don't want the humans to panic, and try and take things into there own hands."

"What? Humans? What's with the hu…?" A though suddenly struck me. "So if its not humans, its"

"Vampires" Alice finished for me, looking at Carlisle.

"Exactly" he said. "We've been finding bodies out in the woods, while hunting. At first we just though it was an animal attack, but then we found the poor victims drained of blood"

I suddenly noticed how ironic it was that the Cullen's themselves looked like they had been drained of blood, but yet they could hardly be in short supply.

"But what would vampires be doing in Forks?" I asked.

Alice gave me a look.

"Okay, so why are vampires in Forks and _hiding_. I mean, wouldn't they act like humans – like you do. And to be honest, Forks is a pretty dull place so why would they come here, out of all the places in the world, unless they new there were already vampire here? But if they know that why aren't they contacting you?"

My voice had started to trail off into hysteria. Somehow Carlisle managed to balance out the atmosphere in the car.

He sighed. "I'm afraid I don't know"

"Don't you recognize the scents?"

I spoke quieter, calmer. But that didn't mean I wasn't still extremely tense inside.

"I thought I would, but obviously not. None of us do"

There was silence for a moment while I took this in.

"But don't worry about it. The bodies were on the edge the wood; they're likely to be just passing through – right Carlisle?" Alice attempt to reassure us all.

"Of course" agreed Carlisle, but he didn't sound convinced.

"Anyway we're home now" She continued. "Everyone will be so pleased to see you again!"

I gulped.

"Everyone?"

"What? Yes, of course" She said, obviously missing my point and opening the car door.

Climbing out, I stared at the scene before me. The Cullen's house had been restored to its former glory. When the Cullen's had left, it became old and abandoned. Now it seemed just as modern and welcoming as it had before. The three story house stood underneath the even taller trees around it. The rising sun was filtered through the leaves, giving a soft, warm glow to the house.

"Welcome home" Alice smiled at me and linked my arm.

She led me down the gravel path to the front door, but the house just seemed to be getting further and further away. I was desperate to reach it. It was my home now. I would have no where else to go – but I couldn't help dreading it – dreading seeing him…

The world slowed down, maximising every detail around me. With each step I took, I could sense every movement in my body, making me feel dizzy, the knot in my stomach tightened, and the gravel under my feet seemed to be in my throat, scratching it and trapping my breath.

I was also incredibly aware of the modern, yet homely building before us… and the people inside.

"Bella?" Alice's light tone of voice had changed to one of concern.

I looked again at the building.

It started swaying, making the knot in my stomach feel sicklier than ever.

"Bella, are you okay?" Carlisle mimed Alice's worry.

I was being silly, I told myself. The Cullens are a lovely, welcoming family. I have nothing to be nervous about. I was being overly-worried. Everything will be okay. _I can do this._

"Yeah, I'm fine"

_I can do this._

"Good, let's go" Alice easily shook off her worried voice.

_I can do this._

With her pale, slender hand she opened the door.

_What was I thinking? I can't do this._

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_Sorry for dragging it out, but I promise there is much more exciting stuff to come so please stay with it :) _


	14. Chapter 14: Reunion

_Hello again!_  
_Since the last chapter was a bit dull (but still needed I suppose) here's a more exciting one. It was definately more fun to write :) Hope you like it! please let me know if you do, by reviewing! Thank you!_

_Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer_

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**Chapter Fourteen**

Esme, Rosalie, Emmett…

I could dissect the voices of each member of my new family, from the cluster of warm yet slightly tense voices coming from behind the door to the living room.

Esme again, Jasper….

But there was one voice missing from the picture... The voice I was missing the most.

Alice grabbed my hand and I held my breath as she pushed open the door and lead me in. But before I could notice my nervousness reaching its peak, I was in Esme's comforting, motherly arms.

"Oh Bella, it's so lovely to see you again" She said before letting me go, still smiling.

"Thanks" I couldn't help smiling back. "Are you sure it's alright for me to stay with you?"

"Oh of course, you're a member of the family!" And with those words my worries were instantly soothed.

Okay, maybe it was with a little help from Jasper too.

I took a peek at him, on the sofa next to Alice who had gone to sit with him. Another wave of warmth and belonging swam through me as he shot me a smile.

"All right vampire girl. Your one of us now" Emmett patted me so hard on my back I felt my feet step slightly off the floor to steady myself. And although these words were true, and still incredibly daunting, I wasn't scared. I wasn't alone.

Rosalie had followed him and threw me a small smile. I returned it, in a short sisterly moment.

"Alice, have you got any clothes Bella could borrow?" Esme asked.

"Oh yes, I've got loads! I've got an amazing top that would bring out her eye colour beautifully and…"

A took a moment while Alice was rambling on, her voice getting faster and faster as more ideas for ways to dress me up sprung to mind, to look all the round the living room, scanning each face of new family, and couldn't help smiling.

Until I saw a figure leaning against the doorway.

His arms were crossed against his white shirt and the dim light, from the darkness of the kitchen behind him, caused shadows to fall on him, perfectly defining the sheer beauty of his face. His radiance startled me, but not as much as his eyes. The glorious pools of gold, were emotionless, but were fixed on one particular spot. Me. Even when I noticed him staring, he did not shift his gaze. He just let me stare back. We shared a second or two as our eyes met, but a lifetime of thoughts overflowed inside me.

"Come on Bella, I'll show you to your room" Alice had obviously been interrupted mid-speech on her clothes, as her ever actually finishing it was pretty impossible, and once again she took my arm and started leading me towards the stairs. I glanced back towards Edward, and where my gaze had been all over the place for a minute, his eyes had still not shifted from their position and were still fixed in mine.

Guest rooms had always seemed so cold to me, the plain white sheets and empty wardrobes, but I suppose I had better get used to it. Alice had left me to get settled, and had also placed a pretty brown top and some skinny jeans on my bed. I appreciated her efforts not to dress me up too much. It wasn't hard to notice I was still sweaty and dirty from the hospital escape and in desperate need of a shower, so I grabbed my clothes and headed for the bathroom down the hall.

Whilst letting the warm water cleanse and sooth my skin, my mind was a different matter. What was he thinking? It was impossible to read his expression. Was he glad I was here? Or did he still hate me? Did he still think I was a monster from that time he saved me from attacking a woman? I had to hold on the handle of the shower to stop all the questions making me dizzy. I sighed in defeat and continued showering.

I studied my reflection in the mirror on the dressing table in the guest room as I dried my hair. Although I was a half vampire, my eyes were still dark, but there was something different about them. They were no longer a dull brown; but instead a rich mahogany colour, which contrasted with my pale, blemish-free skin.

I switched off the hairdryer, but was distracted from the examining of my reflection, as the sound I heard that replaced the roar of the hairdryer, was the opposite of the silence I heard when I turned it on.

It was hard to believe that with such strong hands, he could play a melody so soft and beautiful.

A melody that captured me mesmerized me. Before I knew what I was doing I was walking out of the guest room as quiet as I could, as not to block out a single note. The marble staircase should have been cold on my bare feet, but I couldn't feel it. I couldn't feel anything. All I knew was that I had to keep listening. I couldn't stop.

It was getting louder and louder as I walked along the hallway of the first floor, and I was walking faster and faster. I stood in the half open doorway, just listening and watching. Edward's face was no long emotionless as his expression danced in harmony with his fingers on the keys. The tune he played, although "tune" was too inferior a word to describe what he was playing, was slow and heartrending, and was mirrored by the painful expression that covered his face.

I could feel tears in my eyes but could not let myself blink and allow them to fall, as it meant to miss just a second of his beauty. As his eyes were on me before, it was now my turn to stare.

That is, until, his fingers lightly skimmed over the last two keys, (although I could have stood and listened forever) and he turned his head, and became aware that I was watching him.

His expression was surprised, and I knew I should have left, but all I could was stand there and continue to stare at his beauty. There was an awkward silence for a moment as he realized and I had watched him the whole time, until I finally managed to drag myself away before I embarrassed myself anymore.

I ran as fast as I could back up the marble staircase, this time very aware of the small pain in my feet as they were abusively smacked against the cold rock, and back into the guest room where I fell back into the crisp white sheets of the bed panting.

I spent the rest of the night lying on the sweet smelling bed with "Wuthering Heights" in front of me. Alice and Jasper had sneaked into my old bedroom and managed to grab a couple of my things, including some books and my laptop. Alice had told me that "unfortunately" they didn't have time to take any of my clothes, but not to worry as she would take me shopping. I found this story hard to believe. Well, except the bit about shopping.

I knew that I should be sleeping. The words on the page seemed blurry and although I was on page 53, I had taken in none of the story so far. Looking at the clock next to my bed, I realized that by 2 o'clock in the morning I certainly I would be asleep in my old life. But this was my new life, and here I was with the Cullen's, who didn't sleep at all. Somehow it just didn't seem right.

Finally I gave up my attempt to read, and went downstairs to the kitchen. I knew that, as vampires, the Cullen's didn't drink (apart from the obvious), but, still half human I was in dire need of a glass of water.

Fortunately the Cullen's had bought this house from a human, meaning the tap and kitchen utensils were still intact. After searching through the cupboards I found a glass and filled it with water, before taking it outside and sitting on the steps to the front door. The night was peaceful and cloudless, showing all the stars. It was hard to believe that, over a few hours ago, I was trapped in a morgue feeling incredibly alone, before being rescued and gazing at the stars. Now I was sat in the porch of a house belonging to a loving, caring family, staring at the same stars - and even though I was a strange, unknown, new breed of vampire, I still felt that, with this family behind me, everything would be okay.

But the thought of Edward was still ever so alive inside my mind.

I heard a door close behind me, but was too busy concentrating on how the moon reflected on the tall trees of the forest surrounding us, to really notice. But since no other sound ever followed, curiousness got the better of me and I turned around to find Edward leaning against the door, his arms crossed again. Except this time his expression was neutral, not stone cold - but still hard to read - and after looking at me for a minute as I noticed his presence, he casually shifted his gaze back to the beautiful moonlit sky.

It felt strange, awkward, and like I should leave as I did when he noticed me watching him play the piano. But for some reason I felt a voice in my head telling me to stay where I was. I was here first. I had done nothing wrong. And one half of me believed it.

The other half of me could still hear my heart thumping rapidly in my chest.

And even more so when he shifted from the position against the wall, and sat on the steps, next to me.


	15. Chapter 15: Conversation of Expressions

Chapter Fifteen – A Conversation of Expressions

We sat, for a moment, letting ourselves absorb the bright moonlight. Peacefulness floated around us, carried by the soft wind, and in an instant it felt like that was all there ever was. No past, no future, just us; trapped in time.

"Even now, I can't tell what you're thinking..."

His sudden speech shocked me as if he had poured cold water over me. His soft angelic voice came out almost in a sigh. I span my head round instantaneously, but he continued to gaze into the infinite sky.

"...even though I want to know, more than I ever have before."

It was now that he turned to look at me. His expression matched his, soft, calm voice, which had degraded into just more than a whisper. I stared at him, as all my sane words and thoughts escaped me. I was locked into his eyes.

"It was me, you know." His voice was slightly louder now, yet still coated in calm.

"You... what ...?" My speech had returned to me, but my ability to make complete sentences however, still seemed to be impaired by shock.

"I carried you...to the hospital."

My expression obviously mirrored my bewilderment, as he continued.

"When the Volturi..." His face changed suddenly, into one of anger.

He didn't need to go on. He knew it too, when I gasped.

He had saved me. He was the difference between me living, even as a half-vampire, or dying. He was the reason I could still sit and admire the night.

He spoke again, but in great contrast. His angered and pained expression switched into one of sorrow and guilt as he dropped his head suddenly.

"I'm sorry..." His gently voice was barely a whisper.

The words twirled around in my head; the words, which I had so longed to say to Edward, for my not being good enough for him, and for my uncontrollable murderous instinct, the words, which he who has saved me, had just spoken with thick guilt.

What could he possibly be sorry for?

He looked up at me, with apologetic eyes, through his messy bronze hair. I kept the bewildered look on my face.

He let out a small, gentle laugh at my expression.

But then I knew.

The feeling of sitting with him felt strangely unfamiliar, but right. I loved him, but he had left me, and when he finally returned, he had left once again. The pain of his absence came back to me but was swiftly replaced. I didn't care about the past, as long as he was with me now.

I let my body relax as I overcame the shock of his voice, and changed my expression to one of forgives. It wasn't quite talking, but at least he didn't have to read my mind.

It was his turned to be shocked, but this time at my quick acceptance and forgiveness. His bright eyes examined my expression for a moment, as though he couldn't believe it. But it was true. I just wanted to forget the past.

I yawned with realisation of how long it had been since I had slept in a comfortable bed, therefore excluding ones covered with sterilised white sheets.

Knowing my forgiveness, he walked over to me, and I placed my hands into his as he offered them to me. He helped me up as I yawned again, and kept hold of both my hands in his strong but gentle grip. Walking backwards, he lead me back into the house and upstairs, keeping his eyes on my face the whole way.

He sat me on the crisp white sheets and I almost fell asleep just as I sat. Soft fluffy duvets surrounded me, and I was still holding onto his hands. He tried to pull away lightly, but I tightened my grip, and he looked and me, his mouth curving slightly at the edges.

"Bella. You need to sleep" His voice was as soft as a lullaby, hypnotising me to follow his words.

It almost worked. I felt my eyelids drooping heavily.

"Don't go again..." I slurred, trying to keep my grip on his hands hard.

My words seemed to shock him and a pained expression swept over his face like I had poured a bucket of cold water over him.

Although, being a vampire, his reaction to such actions would probably differ slightly. Since, you know, he can't feel cold.

He sat down on the bed next to me. As a nice difference I felt a comforting heat radiating from him. I suppose there were some perks to this half-vampire deal.

In my tiredness I barely had time to register his movements, before his arms were wrapped around me. He held me, quite tightly for a moment and just as I realised how amazing it was, and how much I had missed it, he let me go. In those brief seconds, I was content.

"Good night Bella" Edwards whispered somewhere close to me, but my eyes were already closed on the pillow to see where he was.

"Good night Edwards" My voice trailed off at the end as Edward shut the door behind him softly.

I was warm, I was safe, I was _home._

But most of all, I was with Edward.

Nothing could stop me falling asleep now.


End file.
